During a ministerial internship, I overhead a conversation where the recipient after listening for quite a while asked the speaker, “could you bring it local?” Bringing it local meant, “can you breakdown what you said to a level I can understand?

As believers we tend to speak in a lot of christianese that lose others who are not familiar with our jargon. Often, we tend to be so deep… but God on the other side communicates in a way He knows we will understand. God keeps it local!

At times God’s instructions are very simple. They can be a word or two, such as go here, look there, turn left, don’t move, pray now, move the car, call your husband, check on the kids, watch! Stay here, sit! No! quiet, Wait, don’t send that email! study Bahamas!

Do not mistake these as just your thoughts or imaginations; God could be talking to you. He tends to give you move instructions once you obey the initial directive. So, cultivate acting on the first instruction. He will show you more as you obey. Of course, there are times that He will speak metaphorically through dreams and encounters, but often God speaks through simple instructions. He brings it local!

Flexibility with God and the Holy Spirit involves responding to God’s instructions immediately on command. Meditate on John 10:27-My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

This week reflect on the moments your brushed off as just your imaginations. Ask God to forgive you if you misjudged His voice. Move forward with listening to Him. God may speak to you though an inner voice, an inner knowing, a thought, your instinct or even an audible voice.

Romans 8:28- And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose.

This Scripture is often referenced in times of hardship. To many including myself, this Scripture has brought comfort and strength to persevere especially in adversities that I did not understand. However, I realized this morning that this same Scripture is applicable when good things happen. These good things are God’s goodness that we experience daily even amidst adversities. Consider these:
•The Mercies of God are His goodness towards us, through them we are not destroyed
•God’s Loving Kindnesses are His goodness for us, by His love we know that nothing can separate us from God. His love is relentless, seeking us even when are stubborn and rebellious.
•Grace presents as the goodness of God when we know that human efforts or works cannot guarantee or sustain us. That it is by His Grace that we are
•God’s protection is His goodness towards us, knowing that we are covered under His wings
•His goodness presents in the redemptive power of the Blood of Jesus that brought us salvation, healing, deliverance, restoration and restitution.

If we reflect on where and what God has brought us from or through, we can testify of His goodness through the healings we have had, through the breakthroughs and answered prayers, through the just in time solutions that God brought forth at the eleventh hour! OR, when He redirects our lives to a much greater purpose; even that, is till God’s goodness.

This week focus on God’s goodness nonetheless. Focus on His ability, His power, His provision, His assuring promises, His Word that is guaranteed to perform! All things are working for your good. Declare God’s goodness back to Him. Shout it out loud; “God you are good, and your mercies endure forever. Say it, “Your loving kindness are from everlasting to everlasting”. Let us focus on the goodness of God!